How to Save a Life
by EternallyEC
Summary: The Non-Judging Breakfast Club must come together to save one of their own yet again after the death of Bart Bass. Set between 2x14 and 2x15 with spoiler for 2x14.


**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I do not own Gossip Girl. If I did, Blair and Chuck would be the focal point of every episode with Nate and Serena guest-starring.

**Summary: **The Non-Judging Breakfast Club must come together to save one of their own yet again after the death of Bart Bass.

**Timeline: **Sometime between 2x14 and 2x15. 'Gone With the Will' spoiler.

**Characters: **Blair Waldorf, Chuck Bass, Serena van der Woodson, Nate Archibald

**Title: **How to Save a Life

Serena van der Woodson felt the strangest sense of déjà vu as she stepped into the elevator and it began its ascension. Blair had called her in full panic mode fifteen minutes earlier and told her it was urgent that she get to the Waldorf penthouse as soon as she could.

It was hardly the first time Blair had called her like that, but something felt different this time. She had no more time to think about it as the elevator door opened and Serena stepped out. Blair came rushing down the stairs and sighed in relief. "Oh, good you're finally here. What took you so long?" she demanded, taking her friend's arm and hurriedly steering her up the stairs.

"Uh, B I live twenty minutes away—I had to throw on clothes and pay a cab driver to go over the speed limit just to make it here this soon," Serena protested. "What's going on anyway?"

"Emergency meeting," Blair said abruptly as they stepped into her room.

Serena raised an eyebrow as she surveyed the room—Nate was sitting in the chair in front of Blair's desk, and Chuck Bass was sprawled out on the bed. He was not the same Chuck that Serena knew—his hair was greasy and his clothes were wrinkled and stained. His eyes were closed but Serena could tell that he was awake by the low chuckle he had emitted when he heard her voice.

"So Blair dragged you here too," he said, his voice flat and emotionless. "Can't say I'm surprised—she's always been thorough, even when the situation is unwarranted."

"It is not unwarranted!" Blair retorted hotly and then held up a hand. "Never mind. I am not going to argue about this with you, Bass. Serena, sit."

Serena looked around and finally decided to sit on the ground by Nate, as it seemed to be the best place available (or at least the cleanest). But when she made a move to sit down on the floor Nate stood. "Take the chair."

She smiled her thanks and sat down. Nate remained standing and Blair began to pace the room. "Okay, so I'm sure that you know why I called you here."

"Because Waldorf here seems to believe that I have lost my mind," Chuck explained, chuckling.

"No, because I believe that you need our help," she replied, shooting him a look.

"I don't need anyone's help. I'm doing just fine." He struggled to sit up and finally succeeded, glaring at Blair.

"Oh really, is that why you were going to jump off the roof of Victrola last week?"

Chuck opened his mouth to reply but closed it instead, giving her a dark look.

Blair nodded in satisfaction. "That's what I thought. I know that you're a mess because you miss your dad," she said, her voice softening, "But we can't—no, we _won't_—sit back and watch you destroy your life any longer."

Nate finally spoke up. "Yeah man—who was it that encouraged me to turn my father in to the Feds so that I could finally stop hiding and go on with my life?"

"And who was it that helped me get through it when my dad left us for the last time?" Serena said, her voice cracking a little at the memory. "And who convinced me that it wasn't my fault?"

"And let's not forget who it was that helped me deal with my father's affair with Roman," Blair added, her eyes flickering to Serena who looked down. "Face it Chuck—we've all had daddy issues. And believe me, I know that yours is much worse than what any of us have ever had to face, but you are going to get through it—with our help."

"And what if I don't want to get through it?" he asked in an icy tone.

"That's just too bad, Chuck," Nate said. At the same time Serena commented, "Get over it," and Blair scoffed, "Oh well." She continued with a small smile on her face. "It's not about what you want it's about what you need."

"Oh? And what exactly do you propose it is that I need?"

"Us," she said simply, looking around the room and smiling at her friends. "And lucky for you, we'll always be here for you."

"That's right, Chuck."

"The Non-Judging Breakfast Club," Serena remembered Blair's name for them with a smile. "That's us."

Blair nodded, her smile widening as she saw cracks finally appearing in Chuck's armor. "And as the president of the Non-Judging Breakfast Club, I am telling you that no one can ever leave or be kicked out of the club… Membership is forever, and so is our friendship, no matter what you do to try to push us away."

"Why do you even care?" Chuck asked, his voice cracking despite his best efforts to retain his composure.

"Because, despite all the bad things you've done, all the lies you've told, all the times you've ever betrayed us… We love you," Blair told him. "No matter what you do, that will never change."

"She's right, man. You pretty much tested that by fire last year, and it took me a while, but I'm still here," Nate said, smiling at his best friend.

"And god knows you've done some pretty nasty things to me and I'm still here," Serena said, standing up and moving to sit on the bed beside Chuck. "And I am your sister, you know," she commented, giving him her million dollar smile.

Chuck returned the smiles and shook his head as the comprehension that he had some truly amazing friends fully sunk into his mind. "I don't deserve any of you," he said quietly, his eyes locked on Blair's face.

"Doesn't matter," she said brusquely. "You've got us—for now and for always."

Nate and Serena quietly murmured their agreement, and for the first time since the night after his father's funeral, Chuck let the tears fall. He wasn't ashamed anymore—he knew that no one in that room would ever judge him, and he relished the comfort when they all embraced him.

The Non-Judging Breakfast Club had succeeded in saving one of their own again.

~~FIN


End file.
